Decided on a solo game, a 2v2, Albatros D.III v RAF SE.5, in order to continue testing my Fr deck solo chart.
Rolling dice to decide the scenario set up, the Albatrii got to bounce the SE's and started higher, attacking from the 8 o'clock.
In order to facilitate the set up I started the Albatrii within gun range as they were against faster opponents - on reflection I think I got them a little too close !
I selected straights and sideslips for the SE's first game turn then shuffled them up and selected three cards blind so I wouldn't know their exact moves.
I used my own altitude rules for this game & applied some OTT solo rules. All but one machine were AI.
So here are Otto and Lothar about to bounce Billy and Frank...
The Albatrii dive onto their prey, guns blazing, Lothar manages to damage Frank's controls, both the German's got +1's from the dive
The Albatrii fire again, neither score a significant hit and Otto jams a gun.
Otto presses on with 1 gun - distracted perhaps - he again fails to score but Lothar has his eye in and he scores once more.
Frank plunges on and eludes Lothar's attentions, breaking his aim. Billy veers right in attempt to break Otto's aim - he fails but Otto's other gun jams before he can do much more damage.
Hauling his kite hard about Billy gets off a burst into Lothar that damaged his controls. Otto moves off working on his jammed weaponry as Frank breaks right...
Unfortunately for him that brings him back under Lothar's guns and he gets a thumping !
Frank hauls his machine into a tighter turn and avoids further damage from Lothar
Otto clears his guns and throws his machine around with a reversal as his enemies close in.
Billy misses his opportunity but Frank lets rip and sets Otto's Albatros ablaze, taking further control damage in the exchange, it is enough to send him home but the damage means he cannot turn the way he needs to go next turn. Lothar reverses and takes up the chase.
On fire Otto chases after Billy and his turning pays off as he clips the SE's tail; Frank has reversed and Lothar plays catch up.
They all meet in the middle and the lead flies at very close range - Frank does no damage to Lothar but Billy's rounds fly true, though his Vickers jams. Lothar wreaks havoc on Billy's controls and Otto fairly pummels his SE from a beam attack
Frank breaks off and makes a run for it, luckily for him Lothar blocks a potential shot from Otto but did he just postpone the inevitable...?
In short, yes ! Moments later Lothar slips toward Frank and with a well placed long range shot smashes him from the sky...
Billy, forced to fly the opposite direction by control damage just manages to stay on the table - seeing the demise of his wingman he calls it a day and dives away...
Butcher's tally
The Victors:
The runner's up
A fun little outing, the Tommy's took a lot of control damage that hindered their efforts and were over exposed in the first turn of the bounce but it could have been worse. The Fr chart worked well for them and they did get their lumps in.
I flew Lothar, I think that Frank was unlucky to pull some big damage but I'll take the victory.
If I do it again ** I would start the Albatrii further back so they would possibly lose contact after the initial shots and maybe only enforce the SE's to fly one randomly selected straight or sideslip drawn blind rather than all three, using the charts to plan the second two cards of the first turn from the charts for a more instant reaction to the attack. Live and learn.
** https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sh...-Lothar-Again-!
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